AP CM seeks Road map to reduce Power tariffs

Vijayawada, June 18: The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has directed the officials of the Energy Department to prepare a roadmap within a week to reduce the power tariffs by next year here on Saturday.

He also urged to bringing down the overall cost of generation through improving efficiencies and to focus on the timely completion of the four mega solar parks in Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool districts.

Addressing a review meeting on infrastructure projects, Mr. Naidu said the emphasis should be laid on the storage of renewable energy, thereby ushering in the second generation electricity reforms. Hitherto, the focus was on energy conservation and efficiency measures.

He called for the supply of water and issuance of electricity bills on a real-time basis with the help of the A.P. fiber grid for which the Municipal Administration and Panchayat Raj Departments should coordinate.

Mr. Naidu ordered that a task force is constituted to speed up implementation of the action plans related to Machilipatnam and Bhavanapadu ports and other infrastructure projects including roads, airlines, and waterways to transforming the State into a logistics hub for the country.

He suggested to the officials to write a letter to the Ministry of Petroleum seeking steps to speed up the laying of gas pipelines.

The Chief Minister said the Energy Logistics Universities being set up at Anantapur and Kakinada should start functioning from temporary campuses this year itself. Construction of permanent buildings should be completed by the end of 2018.